The Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) has urged the Management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, to halt the incessant sack of electricity workers.
It advised that the workers should only be sacked in a confirmed case of fraud.
President General SSAEAC, Comrade Chika Ben, who made the call when he led some of the Union Executive members on a familiarization visit to DSS, PHED, Transmission Company of Nigeria in Port Harcourt, appealed to the management to operate with a human face and review its decision on the constant cases of sack.
Ben explained that the economic situation in the country is biting hard and electricity workers are the ones that bear the brunt as they are most times beaten up, even killed by consumers who are angry paying for darkness, noting the power sector right now only sells darkness to the populace.
He emphasized that the electricity industry is a very important sector and the government and stakeholders involved should as a matter of urgency put tremendous effort to improve and make it function better.
The SSAEAC President General urged the Port Harcourt Disco to stop using any slightest opportunity to lay off its staff who are their union members but should only do that if any of the members erred as regards to fraud after proper investigation must have been carried out.
“We would not fail to acknowledge the fact that the management is labour-friendly and we have had a good relationship, but we are saying the company should review its decisions. Of Recent, there is an economic downturn, so anytime a worker is told to go you have automatically sacked the dependants of that person.
“It is true you have the right to lay off staff as a private entity, but you sack these workers without benefit we are all Nigerians and we know the economy is biting hard, the survival of every worker is in their wages. We appeal to you to try and accommodate the electricity workers.
“If someone must leave let it be for the purpose of fraud, give the Staff fair hearing, investigate into the matter and where they are found guilty such person can be laid off because as a union we do not condone the act of criminality.
“The power industry which is very important has been neglected only selling darkness to consumers, there is no electricity supply in the country. These workers are the ones that interface with consumers who are angry paying for darkness and most times they are beating up even killed in the process”.
In his response, Simeon Bolaji, who spoke on behalf of the PHED Managing Director, Henry Ajagbawa, denied the allegation of an incessant sacking of its staff, while explaining that the company is facing lots of constraints as they have to borrow to pay workers.
“There is no restriction in here stopping workers to join union, there is no maltreatment amongst staff. Port Harcourt Disco has not been able to meet up with its responsibility sometimes we do not have money to run the business or maintain the line we resort to borrowing just to pay salaries, but one good thing is the company does not owe staff.
“Management does not just wake up and sack someone, there laid down processes it takes up to six months for anyone to leave the company. We try as much as possible to maintain the ones we can so long we can manage the situation, rather than bringing someone in”.
